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opinions which interfered with his edu-ness of particular acts of transgression, but cational creed.

also that your heart is the seat and fountain of sin ?-That in you, naturally, there is no good thing? Has a view of this led you to despair of help from yourself? To see that you must be altogether indebted to Christ for salvation, and to the gracious aid of the Holy Spirit for strength and ability rightly to perform any duty?

2. On what has your hope of acceptance with God been founded? On your reformation? on your sorrow for your sins? on good works and religious observances? or your prayers? on your tears? on your has it been on Christ alone, as your all in all? Has Christ ever appeared very precious to you? Do you mourn that he does not appear more so? Have you sometimes felt great freedom to commit your soul to him? In doing this (if you have done it) has it been, not only to be delivered from the punishment due to your sins, but also from the power, polution, dominion and existence of sin in your soul?

3. There has been no neglect of study. A report was circulated that study was laid aside in the college to attend to religion. Nothing could be more false. Study has probably never been pursued with more diligence and success. Our pupils were informed that if, at any particular recitation, an individual should find that his mind had been so exercised as not to permit him to get his lesson, he should, on application to his teacher, be specially excused; and this indulgence has been frequently asked and granted. But not a single recitation of a class has been omitted; and every individual lesson or recitation, incidentally omitted, has been strictly required to be made up for the quarterly and semiannual examinations. It was early and earnestly inculcated on the youth of the college, that not only did christian duty require as regular an attention as possi--without any exception of a favorite lust? ble to all the lawful concerns of life, but Do you pray much to be delivered from that their minds would act more vigor- sin? Do you watch against it, and against ously and more correctly on religious temptation to it? Do you strive against it, subjects, and in religious duties, if a suit- and in some good degree get the victory able portion of their time should be dili-have your soul really set against it? over it? Have you so repented of it as to gently employed in their proper studies. 4. Have you counted the cost of follow4. There have been no compulsorying Christ, or of being truly religious? That exercises. Every thing, beyond the it will cut you off from vain amusements, stated religious instructions and duties of from the indulgence of your lusts, and from the college in ordinary times, has been a sinful conformity to the world? That perfectly voluntary; unless the short ad- it may expose you to ridicule and condress, on Saturday evening after prayers, tion? In the view of all these things, are you tempt?-possibly to more serious persecumay be considered as a slight exception. willing to take up the cross, and to follow No one has suffered either censure or Christ whithersoever he shall lead you? reproach, who chose to be absent from Is it your solemn purpose, in reliance on any religious exercise or engagement his grace and aid, to cleave to him, and to which had its origin in this revival. his cause and people, to the end of life?

Sach, gentlemen, is the statement which I have judged it proper to make to you, in regard to a work, which in its salutary efficiency, has been all of God; and the whole praise of which is to be ascribed, most unfeignedly, to Him alone.

QUESTIONS AND COUNSEL FOR THE STU-
DENTS OF NASSAU HALL, WHO HOPE

THAT A WORK OF SAVING GRACE HAS
BEEN WROUGHT UPON THEIR HEARTS.

3. As far as you know yourself, do you hate, and desire to be delivered from, all sin

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5. Do you love holiness? Do you love a Holy God, and because he is holy? Do conformed to God and to his holy law? To you earnestly desire to be more and more bear more & more the likeness of your Redeemer? Do you seek, and sometimes find, communion with your God and Saviour?

6. Are you resolved, in God's strength, to endeavor conscientiously to perform your whole duty--to God, to your neigh÷ bor, and to yourself? Do you perform common and relative duties conscientiously, as part of the duty which you owe to God? 7. Do you make conscience of secret 1. Have you seen yourself to be by na-prayer daily? Do you not sometimes feel ture, and by practice, a lost and helpless sin-a backwardness to this duty? Do you at her? Have you not only seen the sinful-other times feel a great delight in it? Have

Questions.

you a set time, and place and order of exercises, for performing this duty?

therefore content yourself with a careless or cursory reading of them. Read and deliber 8. Do you daily read a portion of the ate, and examine yourself closely, on the Holy Scriptures, in a devout manner? Do questions under each head; and let your you love to read the Bible? Do you ever heart be lifted up to God, while you are conperceive a sweetness in the truths of sidering each particular question, in earnest Holy Scripture? Do you find them adapt-desires that he may show you the very truth. ed to your necessities, and see, at times, You cannot ordinarily go over all these a wonderful beauty, excellence and glory questions at one time. Divide them therein God's word? Do you make it the man fore, and take one part at one time, and an❤ of your counsel, and endeavor to have both || other at another. But try to go over the your heart and life conformed to its doc-whole in the course of a week; and do this trines and requisitions?

9. Have you ever attempted to covenant with God? To give yourself away to him, solemnly and irrevocably, hoping for acceptance through Christ alone; and taking God, in Christ as the covenant God, and satisfying portion of your soul?

10. Does the glory of God ever appear to you as the first, greatest and best of all objects? Do you desire to promote the glory of God, as the chief object of life?

every week, for some months. When you find yourself doubtful or deficient, in any point, let it not discourage you; but note down that point in writing, and bend the attention of your mind to it, and labor and pray till you shall have made the attainment which will enable you to answer clearly. It is believed that you cannot fail to see how each question ought to be answered.

2. Remember that secret prayer, reading the word of God, watchfulness and self examination, are the great means of preserving comfort in religion and of growing in grace. In proportion as you are exact and faithful in these, such usually, will be your inward peace, and the safety of your state. Unite them altogether, and never cease to practice them while you live. Think often of the character of Enoch, asd try to walk with God-Read Mason's little book on self knowledge, I recommend it as excellent.

11. Do you feel a love to mankind-such as you did not feel before you became religious? Have you a great desire that the souls of men should be saved, by being brought to a genuine faith and trust in the Redeemer? Do you love God's people with a peculiar attachment-because they bear their Saviour's image? and because they love and pursue the objects, and delight in the exercises, which are most pleasing and delightful to yourself? Do you from your heart, forgive all your personal enemies, and 8. Besides the Bible, have constantly in refuse to cherish or entertain any senti-reading, at your leisure hours, some author ments of hatred or revenge? If you have of known piety and excellence. Read Owinjured any person, have you made repara-en's works, Baxter's Saints' Rest, Dodtion; or are you ready & willing to make it?ridge's works, Watt's works, Witherspoon's 12. Do you feel it to be very important works, Newton's works, Scott's Works, to adorn religion, by a holy, exemplary, a-Venn's Whole Duty of Man, The Christian miable and blameless walk and conversa- Observer, &c. &c. tion? Do you fear to bring a reproach on the cause of Christ? Does this appear to you extremely dreadful? Are you afraid of backsliding, and of being left to return to a state of carelessness and indifference in Restant vigilance in time to come; nor from ligion?

13. Do you desire and endeavor to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ your Saviour, more and more? Are you willing to sit at his feet as a little child, and to submit your reason and understanding, implicitly, to his teaching; imploring his spirit to guide you into all necessary truth, to save you from all fatal errors, to enable you to receive the truth in the love of it, and to transform you more and more, into a likeness to himself?

Counsel.

1. Remember that these questions are intended to point your attention to subjects of inquiry the most important. Do not

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4. Do not suppose that any evidence which at present, you may think you possess, of a gracious state, will release you from the necessity of maintaining a con

repeated examinations and trials of yourself even to the end of life--Many marks and evidences of a grcious state are set down by pious writers. But they must all come to this-to ascertain what is your prevalent temper and character-Whether, on the whole you are increasing in sanctifica-. tion, or not? If you are, you may be comforted; If not you have cause to be alarmed. It is only he that endureth to the end that shall be saved.

5. I think it of very great importance to warn you not to imagine that true religion is confined to the closet or to the church; even though you apprehend that you have great comfort and freedom there. Free

dom and comfort there are, indeed most humiliation undoubtedly exist, true relidesirable; but true religion reaches to eve-gion and sound morals, are on the whole ry thing. It alters and sweetens the tem-making a very gratifying progress. Ing per. It improves the manners. It goes fidelity has become insignifican', both in into every duty, relation, station and situa-the numbers and talents of those who tion of life. If you have true religion you

will have a better spirit, you will be better affect it. Vices hitherto domineering, sons, better scholars, better friends, better || have been, in many places, successfully members of society, and more exemplary || encountered by the efforts of the friends in the discharge of every duty, as the sure of Godliness. The destructive sin of inconsequence of this invaluable possession: temperance, against which the zealous And if your religion does not produce these labors of the church and the influence of effects, although you may talk of inward all good citizens have been of late with comforts, and even of raptures, you have great reason to fear that the whole is a de- peculiar energy directed, does not exhilusion, and that the root of the matter is bit itself to its former extent of atrocity Order, harmony, not in you. "Herein (said the Saviour) and shamelessness. is my father glorified, that ye bear much peace, correct principles, stedfastness in fruit, so shall ye be my disciples." the faith,ministerial fidelity, and a decent 6. Be careful to avoid a gloomy, and to and serious attention to public worship cherish a cheerful temper. Be habitually and divine ordinances on the part of the cheerful; but avoid levity. Mirth and people, generally prevail. Few or none, laughter are not always sinful; but let your of those dissentions have occurred which indulgence in them be clearly innocent, not very frequent, and never of long con- present a threatening aspect to the prostinuance. Be very humble. Be not talk-perity of Zion. No dangerous, or even ative. Before experienced christians be a hearer, rather than talker. Try, in every way, however, to promote religion among your relatives and friends. Win them to it, by your amiable temper and exemplary deportment. "Flee youthful lusts."Shun every excitement of them.-Guard against dissipation; it extinguishes piety. Be not disconcerted by ridicule and reproach. Your Savour bore much of these for you. Think of this and be ashamed of nothing so much as of being ashamed of him.. Trust in his protection, live to his praise, and you will spend an eternity in his blissful presence.

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important error is apprehended to exist. The missionary has carried the gospel to destitute thousands, breaking to them the bread of life, and refreshing them in the wilderness with the waters of eternal consolation. New Congregations have been formed in various parts of our country. In some distant sections of our ecclesiastical community, where the stated means of grace have not hitherto been enjoyed, there is a prospect of a numerous and speedy accession of ministers. The additions to the communions are, in many congregations, ve

A Narrative of the state of Religion with-ry large: in almost all considerable; and

in the bounds of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, and of the General Associations of Connecticut, of New-Hampshire, of Massachusetts proper, and of the General Convention of Vermont, during the last year. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

informed by several of their southern of these, the Assembly are happy to be Presbyteries, are numbers of the African race. The Assembly, desirous of improving the opportunity which this information affords them, claim the religious attention of their Ministers and Elders to this class of people, whose immortal concerns are too apt to be neglected by those very persons for whose ease and

In laying before their beloved people as accurate an account as they could obtain of the state of religiou in their Con-affluence they toil. gregations during the year past, rejoice to have it in their power to announce that the gracious footsteps of the Lord have not ceased to be visible in the midst of them. From the reports, submitted by the several Presbyteries, it appears, that although causes of deep

Revivals, to a greater or less extent, have occurred in various portions of our church. In the towns of Rahway and Woodbridge, in the Presbytery of Jersey, unusually great additions have been made to the communion; a very lively interest has been excited with reference

In

to eternal concerns, and much done to-better by the visitations of God, the alien wards promoting the Redeemer's cause. from the Commonwealth of Israel, the This is the more worthy of notice inas- man of earth, the unbelieving servant of much as a lamentable indifference is the corruption which is in the world known previously to have existed in through lust, has regarded them with inthose towns. A revival of importance difference, or barred the avenues of senhas occurred in the Second Congrega-sibility against the admission of their tion of Wilmington, in the Presbytery of monitory call. Hence, to the pleasing Newcastle, a fact connected with which, representation ofthings given above, the the Assembly deem it proper to mention Assembly are constrained to acknowlfor the encouragement of their people:-edge some unhappy exceptions. There had been a society for prayer, temperance, altho' it should seem, on whose meetings began to be neglected the decline, still disfigures the moral asto such a degree as to threaten its dissolu- pect of society. In too many parts of tion. Its discouraged friends talked of our country, the violation of the christian this as an event near at hand. Through Sabbath calls as loudly upon the beliethe restraining providence of God, how-ver to oppose to its influence, his admoever it was not dissolved, Circumstan- nition, and his prayers, as if nothing had ces soon occurred, which under the ad-|| yet been done. The rancorous hostility ministration of the Spirit, renewed the of political party preys upon domestic face of the congregation: and in a few and social peace, and indisposes men to short months, instead of a single society,|| admit the kindly influences of religious wasted and feeble, and about to expire, love. The spirit of the world struggles arose four societies, "fervent in spirit successfully for dominion. And in a serving the Lord;" "quickened to call word many humbling facts present them-1 upon his name;" wrestling like Jacob selves to urge pious people to the throne for his blessing, and like Israel prevailing of Grace that they may supplicate a to obtain it. True was the expression more copious effusion of the enlivening of the brother relating this fact, "the and converting spirit. darkest hour is that nearest day-light." The reports made by the Delegates It were to be wished that the Assem-from the General Associations of Conbly could perceive, in a more general necticut, New Hampshire, and Massaamelioration of manners and habits, that chusetts Proper, and the General Conimprovement of the dispensations of Al-vention of Vermont, afford very exhilamighty God which he expects and man- rating intelligence; resembling, in its prokind are obligated to exhibit. The minent features, that submitted by the judgments of Pestilence and War have Presbyteries. In Connecticut and Mascarried their desolations over a large por-sachusetts Proper, revivals of magnitude tion of our land; wringing the widows meet the enquiries of the Assembly and heart, and dimming the eye of the father- establish the Lord's claim to the gratiless. Infelicities of a diversified char- tude of his believing people. In the first acter have followed in their train. Re- mentioned of these associations, the versed fortunes, and defeated hopes, most laudable exertions are made tohave not been wanting to tell men that wards the furtherance of foreign mis"they build too low, who build beneath sions. From the other, the Assembly. the skies." But men do not know; are pleased to learn, that certain errors, neither will they consider. The effects of a pernicious character infesting that of these judgments have been different district of country for a length of time, on minds of two opposite classes. Nor have ceased to advance, if they have will it be a matter of surprize to any not been driven back from their threatwho are acquainted, on the one hand, ening position. Young Ministers, sound with the workings of the gracious prin- in the faith, have been settled of late in ciple, or apprized, on the other, of the many congregations esteemed hitherto force of depravity and the callousness of to be disinclined towards correct princithe heart, to learn that while the real ples. New-Hampshire and Vermont, christian has been confirmed and made also, have been partially visited; the

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former, more especially in the town of Haverhill, the inhabitants of which had long been without a settled Minister and careless of possessing the privileges and ordinances of the Gospel.

of God may be brought nigh unto them; and others, again, for supplying the pressing wants and alleviating the bodily diseases of the indigent sufferer.

To the benefits derived from those inThe Assembly would do injustice to stitutions which have been denominated the subject were they not to advert more moral associations the Assembly bear particularly for the instruction and coun- their willing testimony. Abundant eviselling of their churches, to certain facts dence has been furnished of their sucand circumstances which they consid-cess in repressing audacious vice and er both as instruments and evidences of producing a degree, at least, of external a progressive work of grace extending reformation. Sobriety has obviously been itself through the past year. promoted by them; and rigidly discounThe social principle is mighty in its tenanced by them, profaneness has grown operations. It constitutes a powerful into disrepute, law of our nature. When sanctified by Bible societies, forming a most imporreligion, and consecrated to the imme-tant feature of the religious character of diate service of God, what results of high the times,are multiplying daily. Scarcely import and holy advantage, may not be can there be discovered any consideraexpected from it? Growing out of this ble portion of settled country in these principle, a multitude of associations of states where some association of this a pious and benevolent nature have kind is not either organized or about to spread themselves through the churches be organized. Words are wanting to under the Assembly's care, as well as express the inestimable value of these those with which we are in ecclesiastical societies, which, by putting the book of connection in the Eastern States. The life into the bands of the needy, enrich practice of uniting the talents, influence, them with heavenly treasures; and which, and resourses of individuals by these hal embodying, so to speak, the zeal of all lowed bonds and for these religious, christian denominations, and knitting to moral, and charitable purposes is not no- each other persons, who, however they vel. It has been more than once before may differ on many points of greater or this announced to exist among our peo- of minor importance, agree in affirming ple. But it would seem that at no for- the word of God to be the only infallible mer period has it been pursued with such rule of faith and practice, neutralize the vigor, extension, and success, as recent asperity of the bigot and the sectarian, ly. The spirit in which it originated is and reconcile the contending members more actively at work than ever, and of the same great brotherhood. The tendiffuses itself far and wide. Christian dency of Bible societies to produce this women-the mothers and the sisters in auspicious result is not now a matter of Israel the daughters of Jerusalem-experiment: facts have ascertained it. mingling with the softest sensibilities Justice, and the praise due to perseof nature the holier refinements of a gra-vering piety, forbid the Assembly to pass cious heart-minister of their substance unnoticed the continued labours of one to the Lord Jesus-serve him by serving particular Institution; viz. The Evangelhis poor and rival, where they do not ical Society of Philidelphia for the insurpass, their brethren in instituting and struction of poor children: the members maintaining societies promotive of the of which have, during the past year, had interests of his Divine Religion. It under their care about one thousand would be difficult to number the associa- children of this description. More than tions of these virtuous and praise worthy one of these have proved to be little women formed, some, for contributing brands plucked from the burning, and to the education of poor and pious youth have manifested, in death, the blessed for the office of the Holy Ministry; fruits of that sacred sympathy which others, for the distribution of Bibles; brought them out of darkness into light others, for instructing the ignorant off and from the power of Satan into the adult age to read, in order that the word glorious liberty of the children of God,

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